Rosário Costa: "If someone had told me that I was going to work as a peer, supporting my community, I would never have believed them."

"Part of the solution: Sex work, public health and (de)criminalization" was the theme of the conference organized by the European Sex Workers Rights Alliance in Brussels. Rosário Costa, a peer at GAT IN Mouraria, who has experienced stigma as a sex worker and drug user, spoke on two days of the event.

Marking World HIV/AIDS Day and the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the conference aimed to bring together sex workers, researchers, service providers and policy makers to strategize on issues related to sex work and health.

On the first day of the event, Rosário Costa took part in the Workshop on Stigma and Discrimination for Health Professionals and Policymakers. At the end of the event, a public meeting was held in the European Parliament, where GAT was addressed by Rosário Costa, in the presence of the UN representative on the Right to Health, Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng, and MEP Marisa Matias.

In an impressive speech, Rosário shared her journey from the beginning of sex work to becoming a peer worker at GAT IN Mouraria. She praised the importance of community services with peers from the community, in order to destigmatize health services.

The full speech can be seen on Youtube and is available in this article.

Rosário Costa statment, GAT IN Mouraria (GAT Portugal)

My name is Rosário Costa, I'm 49 years old, I'm a woman, I'm a mother, I'm a grandmother. In addition, nowadays I work as a peer at GAT IN Mouraria, the Treatment Activists Group, a harm reduction drop-in center for people who use drugs and people who experience homelessness. I used drugs for 30 years, started treatment about 8 years ago and was a sex worker for 15 years. I had a long and sometimes difficult journey.

HOW I MET GAT

About 1 years ago, when I was doing sex work on the streets of Lisbon and Almada, I came across GAT's mobile unit as a service user. At the time, I felt discriminated by everyone and everything: society, family, social and health services. I was seen either as a sick, dependent person, or as a criminal, incapable of taking care of herself and her family. This made me shy away from any offer of help or any service.

However, as I got to know the people from the GAT’s mobile unit, they gained my trust because for the first time, they made me feel accepted, they didn't judge me and I felt that they cared about me. I felt that I could be honest, follow my own pace, my needs and that my voice was heard, without coercion or judgment. By believing in me, they made me believe in myself again.

The first people I met at GAT were peer workers and their role was essential to my process. I identified with these people with whom I shared life experience and who spoke the same language as me, and I realized that I was not alone. The approach of a peer worker is different because it allows us to share common experiences that only we can understand, which meant that I never felt criticized.

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO WORK AS A PEER IN MY COMMUNITY?

If, a few years ago, someone had told me that I was going to work as a peer, supporting my community, I would never have believed it. I didn't even know what a "peer" was, I didn't believe in the power of my voice, my experiences and my community. My journey as a peer woman who has used drugs and done sex work has been one of constant learning and growth.

In my day-to-day life, I try to treat others as I was once treated, and which allowed me to become who I am today. I always try to welcome people with a smile and open arms (even if I'm crying inside) and create relationships of trust, support and security. My day can be very hectic, but I will always be available to listen to others when they need it, because I know from personal experience that this is how you gain people's trust.

HOW ARE WOMEN PERCEIVED?

Times change. But we, sex workers and women who use drugs, remain excluded from society. Everytime I've come out as a sex worker and drug user, I felt people's prejudice. We are not seen as people with rights, freedoms and guarantees; we are not seen as people who deserve the care and support that we are entitled to as citizens; policymakers, services and society either question our ability to make decisions about our own lives or shape our existence according to their wishes (and not ours).

We know that this discrimination moves us away from services, keeps us away from our rights. Stigma kills us. It was this stigma that led me to have to separate from my children, live on the street, and do sex work to support my drug use. We are fed up with being discriminated against by our families, beaten by our partners, mistreated by services.

I believe that with the support of community-based services like GAT, which have peers working as part of the team, and that make us feel recognized as human beings, we, sex workers and women who use drugs, will be able to unite and exercise our rights and choices on our own lives.